The present invention relates generally to water closets, and more particularly to a simple, low cost means for venting gases from a water closet that is also simple to install and sanitary.
The most common method for removing gases and odors from a bathroom area is the ceiling or wall fan, the fan includes a motor that is usually operable from a wall switch. Such fans require an opening to be made or provided in the ceiling or wall. The cost of these devices lie on the order of fifty dollars.
The problem with ceiling and wall fans is that they do not remove odors efficiently, as a return air duct in a bathroom heated and cooled by a central air system picks up the odors and circulates them in the building in which the return air duct and systems are located. In order to remove odors before being circulated by the central system, such fans would have to be located immediately adjacent the water closet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,089 to Wilton shows a continuous duct fastened to the underside of a seat of a water closet and connected to a pipe located in a wall of a building. A second embodiment (FIG. 5) shows a circular duct 20a having a flange 22a that seats the duct on the rim of a bowl 12. A gasket 38 is attached to the underside of the seat to seal the seat against the upper edge of the bowl.
FIG. 6 of the Wilton patent shows an additional embodiment in which a resilient duct is attached to the underside of a seat and seats against the upper edge of the bowl to form a seal without the need of the above gasket.
A number of U.S. patents show devices located on the edge of a toilet bowl for removing gases. These devices generally are not easily removable for cleaning and, because of their low position and location on the bowl, are not particularly sanitary.